


Practical Joke

by haganenoheichou



Series: Wrong [Eruri Week 2016] [7]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Eruri Week, Eruri Week 2016, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-20
Updated: 2016-02-20
Packaged: 2018-05-22 07:10:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6069979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haganenoheichou/pseuds/haganenoheichou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It takes a joke to get them back together. </p><p>Eruri Week 2016 Prompt 7: Humor/Jokes</p>
            </blockquote>





	Practical Joke

“This has got to be a joke.”

Erwin turned around at the sound of a painfully familiar voice. There he was, Levi Ackerman, in the flesh, slightly aged but it was still him. Still the same grey eyes, narrowed in suspicious and contempt. The firm line of his mouth. The set jaw. The small height that hid beneath it extreme strength. It was Levi Ackerman.

The man who had disappeared after the defeat of the Titans.

For months, Erwin had relentlessly searched for him, looking for clues, questioning those who might have been close to Levi. But the bottom line was that nobody had really known the Corporal. Nobody had actually taken the time to find out what had been on the man’s mind. To them, Levi had been a symbol of hope – Humanity’s Strongest Soldier and all, he had been a figurehead.

Not a person.

He didn’t look too bad. Erwin’s chest contracted in a strange way when he realized that the jacket Levi was wearing had been his. That one jacket that he had never gotten back from the dark-haired man.

“I assure you, I didn't know about this,” the blond managed to say, standing up.

The tavern was dimly-lit and quiet, with the steady buzz of conversation providing a nice background for those who wanted solitude. Erwin had been forced to come here by Hanji who had taken it upon themselves to make the man _join the dating pool again_ , apparently. He had scoffed at the very idea of someone wanting him, denying that he would ever even want to try out intimacy with another human being.

Not after the last person he had confided in had methodically broken his heart, ripping it to pieces with his absence.

 Levi took something out of his pocket, throwing it onto the table in front of Erwin.

“You didn't send this, did you?” He asked.

Erwin reached for the paper, unfolding it. He looked up at Levi, slightly amused.

“A secret admirer? I never would have thought you’d respond to something like this.”

Levi’s stance changed all of a sudden. His shoulders dropped, relaxing, and he sat down across from Erwin, slouching a little.

“I suppose I thought that I would at least get a decent meal out of it. And probably sex,” he said, looking at the blond in his usual deadpan fashion. Nothing had changed.

Erwin glanced at him wearily. “Where have you been?”

Levi shook his head. “Dinner first. I wouldn't want to disappoint whomever it was who did this to us.”

 _Did this to us._ Levi made it sound like they had been attacked and kidnapped only to be brought together.

Erwin nodded eventually. “This place has good stew.”

Levi shrugged. “Whatever you’re ordering is fine by me. I’m not picky.”

That was when Erwin realized what it was that _had_ changed in Levi. He looked tired. Drawn.

Skinny.

He had never been skinny before – at least not after joining the Survey Corps and enjoying the questionably nutritious meals at headquarters. Now, his cheekbones were more prominent and the bags under his eyes were visibly larger than Erwin ever remembered them being.

“How’s the arm?”

“You mean lack thereof?” Erwin asked, a small chuckle bubbling in his throat. Levi gave him a pointed look, and he shrugged. “As good as it can be. It helps that I have a desk job now.”

“What kind?”

“Displacement,” Erwin said. “Helping rejoin families.”

“How noble,” Levi said, looking to the side.

“What about you?”

“Worried that I’m back to my old ways?” Levi asked wearily. Erwin lifted an eyebrow.

The dark-haired man sighed.

“Bees. I keep bees for a living. And horses.”

“You’re a farmer?” Erwin asked, surprised.

“Yeah, isn’t that shocking?” Levi muttered bitterly. “With a leg missing, that’s all I can do to remain active.”

“I’ve been looking for you,” Erwin said suddenly.

“So?”

“So?”

“You’ve been looking for me. Was there a point to that?” Levi asked.

Erwin sighed. “Do you have to be difficult?”

Levi’s lips quirked into a smirk.

“You know me.”


End file.
